bombardier beetle
noun
any ground beetle of the genus Brachinus, which ejects a puff of volatile fluid from its abdomen with a popping sound when disturbed.
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What Is The Difference Between A Bug And An Insect?We tend to use the word bug loosely for any very small creature with legs. However, a true bug is defined as belonging to the order Hemiptera. These creatures characteristically have tough forewings and lack teeth, such as beetles. True bugs have a stylet (a mouth shaped like a straw) that they use to suck juices from plants. Insects belong to the class Insecta and they are characterized by three-part bodies, usually two pairs of wings, and …
Nearby words
bomb squad, bombacaceous, bombard, bombarde, bombardier, bombardier beetle, bombardon, bombasine, bombast, bombastic, bombax family
Origin of bombardier beetle
First recorded in 1795–1805
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019